


meet halfway

by zanykingmentality



Category: Oxenfree (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Introspection, Mutual Pining, no step sibling bs in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 19:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18350474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanykingmentality/pseuds/zanykingmentality
Summary: “Why didn’t you save Michael?” Jonas had asked, once.Alex winced. “If there’s anything at all that night taught me, it’s that we have to leave the past behind.”Jonas doesn’t inquire further, even though he knows there’s more to it.





	meet halfway

**Author's Note:**

> hi i love alex and jonas and i. had to write. anyway this au they go through a few loops and then alex convinces the sunken to let them go because I NEED THAT. I NEED A HAPPY ENDING. i love them so goddamn much

Alex still shivers when she thinks about the island. One thing’s for sure: she’s never going back there. Not as long as she lives. 

 

Swim conditioning is the Tuesday after they get back, and she nearly forgets. Well, she has a pretty good reason for that. 

 

Talking the Sunken down had been hard. In a way, they had become the only thing that understood her resets, having lived through it themselves. She still has nightmares about the possibilities of alternate timelines and realities she’d seen in the loop, all those bridges in time spinning her brain. She’d always thought of time as something linear, but the island had screwed that all up. But honestly, she doesn’t want to think about it more than she has to, even if she stays up late some nights pondering the mechanics of time manipulation. 

 

(“I think I finally get it,” Alex had said to the Sunken, once. 

 

“Do you. You don’t,” they’d said back in their stilted radio-voices.

 

“But what’s better?” Alex asked, closing her eyes. “Reliving hell or facing your fears?” 

 

The Sunken had no answer to that.) 

 

She wonders about alternate incarnations of herself, if they are still living through a never-ending loop. She wonders if she should try and get them out. But if the Sunken have passed on, there’s hope, and that’s really all that’s keeping Alex right here, safe at home. 

 

The taste of chlorine-water at her first meet after the incident is jarring. She’s gotten too used to salt-water and sea tides and cold, cold brine. It’s refreshing, in a way. It helps her forget. She doesn’t think about parallel timelines; instead she thinks about her form, moving one arm and then the other, splashes that ripple across the choppy blue-blue water’s surface. Ren and Nona are somewhere in the crowd, screaming Alex’s name; Jonas is probably next to them, arms crossed and looking embarrassed. Clarissa won’t come to swim meets, even if she’s on better terms with Alex now. They remind her too much of Michael. 

 

It should be painful for Alex to swim. It should remind her of Michael too. But after he’d died… she’d taken lessons. She’d turned herself into a lean, mean, swimming machine. It felt both like a betrayal to his memory and a continuation of something he left off. Now, Alex loses herself in the thrill of swimming. 

 

She throws herself into schoolwork, too ━ never did she think, before the island, that she’d be relieved to sit in class behind a desk and listen to a teacher drone on and on about things she could care less about. But now, as boring and headache-inducing as it is, it doesn’t hold a candle to the  _ loop. _ Alex has been through hell and back, it seems, and compared to that ━ well, the short story is, she appreciates each deviation in every day, the visceral  _ newness _ of linear time. 

 

She and Jonas get slushies at the convenience store every other Saturday, and have movie nights every Friday. It’s nice to not be alone. Sometimes, though, Jonas feels more like a best friend than a brother ━ though the difference is hard to pinpoint. It’s just something in Alex’s stomach, the way it flips over itself in random intervals. 

 

Jonas is the only other one who even vaguely remembers the loops. Maybe that’s why she finds so much comfort in the telltale set of his shoulders. 

 

* * *

In the end, their parents don’t go through with the marriage. Cold feet, Jonas guesses, but it’s mutual, so it’s okay. He  _ had _ thought Michael’s room was nice when he slept in it that first night, but he’s absolutely willing to stay as far away from that room as possible. There are too many shadows under the bed, and Lord knows Jonas has had enough ghosts to last a few lifetimes. 

 

So he and his dad move into a house really close to the school. It’s too much hassle to go all the way back to North Valley, and Jonas feels more at home here than he ever did back there anyway. Here is a place where his mother’s death, juvie, all that  _ fun _ stuff in his past doesn’t  _ define _ him. There will be someone who doesn’t know it all yet, doesn’t have their own preconceived  _ Jonas _ in their head. It’s a nice concept. 

 

Some days he’ll sneak into Alex’s room through the window. He’s welcome to come through the front door, but something about it feels more authentic when he comes from the window. Sometimes he reads to her, just snippets from whatever book he’s working his way through that week. She falls asleep on his shoulder, and Jonas feels a traitorous little devil on his shoulder weedling away at his resolve to be a brother. Alex is warm, and her roots are starting to show more and more with every passing day. Dark, careful hair that’s very much just like her. 

 

(“Why didn’t you save Michael?” Jonas had asked, once. 

 

Alex winced. “If there’s anything at all that night taught me, it’s that we have to leave the past behind.” 

 

Jonas doesn’t inquire further, even though he knows there’s more to it.) 

 

But Jonas doesn’t do anything but watch from beside her. 

 

Surprisingly, it’s Ren who figures Jonas out first. 

 

“Listen, man,” Ren says. “We’ve had our differences. I get that. But this… whatever? With Alex? You’re not doing a great job of hiding it.” 

 

“What.” Jonas stares flatly at Ren. He taps his fingers against the table, anxious energy seeping out of every tip. 

 

“It’s not weird, I think,” Ren says. “I mean, you’re not siblings, or step-siblings, or related in any way, really. So you’re kinda free to go for it.” Then, as an afterthought: “Always thank your parents.” 

 

Jonas groans. “Please don’t.” 

 

“Anyway, my point is,” Ren continues, waving away any protests Jonas has ready, “go ahead and fall for my best friend. But if you hurt her in any way, shape or form, I’ll break your arms. Cool? Cool. Later.” 

 

Jonas can only gape as Ren trots away. 

 

* * *

 

Ren  _ does _ have to physically restrain Ben from asking Alex to prom, and she’s thankful for it. Even though her best friend is frail and small and gets sick so easily, it’s nice to know he has her back. Then again, Ren’s been her honorary brother for so long, she knows as much as they argue, they’ll always have each others’ backs. It’s nice. 

 

What’s also surprisingly nice is this: Jonas’s hand in hers. 

 

His hands are dry and kind of calloused and very,  _ very _ warm. The first time he takes her hand, Alex just sighs. He looks over at her in surprise and all Alex can do is grin lamely. “Your hands are warm,” she explains. 

 

Jonas’s face goes red. He stammers over his words. “Uh ━ Well, I mean, I noticed you seemed cold, and I thought, um━” 

 

Alex laughs. “You don’t need an excuse to hold my hand,” she says. “It’s nice.” Jonas visibly swallows, face flushed as ever. Their hands swing together as they walk to the convenience store. It’s dark, and kind of cold, but Alex is too warm and giddy to think about either of those facts. All she can think of is Jonas’s searing hand in hers, and the knowledge that she’ll have to drop it at some point. Sad, really. 

 

* * *

 

Jonas sits outside the tiny changing room; one of his legs bounces rapidly. Alex emerges, trademark red jacket discarded. She’s just trying out new outfits, but Jonas’s breath hitches ━ this one’s way up his alley. Grunge-style bomber jacket, skinny jeans. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was after his aesthetic. 

 

“That’s my look,” he complains. 

 

“C’mon, this isn’t  _ Who Wore It Better, _ Jonas.” Alex grins and nudges him in the arm ━  _ oh god his heart that’s not okay _ ━ and stands in front of the mirror. “But, for the record, I totally did.” 

 

Jonas scoffs, but he agrees with her. “If you really want the aesthetic, just wear  _ my _ clothes. It’s not like you don’t already have like,  _ three _ of my coats.” 

 

Alex hums noncommittally. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still. I look super cute.” 

 

Hell yeah she does. Not that Jonas could ever say that out loud. He twists the cord across this throat. 

 

In the end, Alex only buys one outfit, and as they walk home she threads their hands together like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Jonas struggles to not choke. 

 

“What movie are we watching tonight?” she asks. Casually. Sure. Jonas can do casual. 

 

“Uh… What movie do you wanna watch?” 

 

“Hm…” She ponders the question for a moment. “No idea. We could start a show, too.” 

 

“I have some options for that,” Jonas says. 

 

They go home and watch New York cops make fools of themselves. At some point, Alex has leaned her head on Jonas’s shoulder, and his arm is thrown carelessly around her. 

 

If Jonas didn’t know better, he’d think this was a date. 

 

* * *

 

Alex has APUSH with Jonas, so they walk to class together. Jonas bumps his shoulder against hers, and Alex nudges him back twice as hard. The grin on Jonas’s face is unmistakable. 

 

With every passing day, Alex thinks less and less about the island. It’s been about two months already, and while she still thinks about the island sometimes, she’s not afraid of looping anymore. She’s not afraid that she’ll wake up on the boat, listening to Ren talk about the island’s history, words she’s already memorized. 

 

During class, Jonas diligently takes notes while Alex stares into the window. At one point he glances over at her, but she doesn’t acknowledge it. The soft smile on his face is angelic, silhouetted against the window; it’s all Alex can do to keep her breath from catching. She can’t deny it: Jonas is attractive. 

 

He asks her as much during lunch. A mouth full of food, Jonas says, “Do you think I’m attractive?” 

 

Alex swallows carefully, considering her next words. “Yeah,” she says, finally. “You’re a good guy, and you’re cute.” 

 

Jonas’s face goes red. “You really think so?” 

 

Alex’s tongue feels like sandpaper. “Yeah, I do,” she says. 

 

Ren takes the seat next to her. “What’re you guys talking about?” Jonas’s eyes look at everything except the two of them sitting across from him. His face is  _ too _ red. It’s adorable. 

 

“I’m trying to pry info about who Jonas likes,” Alex says. She’s certain it’s not her. Probably. Okay, maybe she’s not certain, and she’s hopeful for something, but it feels so weird ━ so  _ wrong _ ━ to want something like…  _ that… _ with the boy who was supposed to be her stepbrother. But they’re not step-siblings. Their parents didn’t get married, in the end. 

 

“Ah,” Ren says, like he knows something she doesn’t. His eyes flit to Jonas for a split second before refocusing on his cafeteria food. “Nona and I are going to the town fair tomorrow after school. Wanna come with?” 

 

He’s changing the subject. It’s obvious. But Alex is more than willing to go along with this conversation, too. “Sure,” she says. “Jonas?” 

 

“I’m in,” he says. 

 

* * *

 

The fair air is sticky and smells like popcorn and cotton candy. Alex breathes in deeply. Practically everyone living in Camena, Oregon is here right now, and it  _ smells _ that way. Still, Jonas is standing next to her, and Ren and Nona are just a little ways ahead, and she’s  _ happy _ now. Everything is good like this. 

 

They ride the Monster, the rollercoaster at the edge of the carnival. Jonas and Alex clutch each other and scream as they plummet down slopes and streak through loops. It’s the safe kind of fear that Alex gets drunk on, the kind that she enjoys, that goes with Halloween and Ren appearing from around corners. 

 

It’s beautiful. She remembers those days for the week after the island, the week she’d skipped school and stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for everything to restart. She remembers how Ren would come by and lay with her, not knowing the full extent of her horror but knowing she’d been through much more than he could imagine on that hell-island. 

 

(“Ren, you don’t have to come by every day after school, you know.” 

 

He looked her in the eyes. “I want to,” he said. “You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong. I just know. And I want to help.” 

 

Alex cried into his shoulder that night.) 

 

She and Jonas share cotton candy. It’s sweet,  _ too _ sweet, too sugary, but it’s perfect for the moment. The sun dips below the horizon; the sky turns vibrant shades of vermillion. 

 

They waste their money playing rigged games. Ren is insistent on winning Nona a stuffed beaver by winning a throwing game, but no matter how many times he hits the last can, it won’t fall. It’s probably weighted, Alex muses. The vendor gives Ren the beaver out of pity. Nona clutches it to her chest the rest of the night. 

 

“Let’s ride the Ferris wheel!” Ren shouts, pointing up at the structure on the edge of the carnival. His eyes flit to Jonas and Alex; a motion that doesn’t go unnoticed by her. “You know, it’s the thing to do when you’re really lonely or really like someone.” He takes Nona’s hand; she looks kind of uncomfortable, but she’s blushing. Alex and Jonas share a look ━ one that almost prompts her to look away. Acknowledging her feelings would be… bad. 

 

“Let’s go,” Jonas says. 

 

* * *

 

There are pinpricks of heat all over Jonas’s arms and face. Of course, he’s not surprised that he’s in a car with Alex. It’s actually the perfect time to address this  _ whatever _ going on between them. They’re quiet, sitting on opposite ends of the car. 

 

“So, Alex,” Jonas says. 

 

“Jonas,” she says, the laughing lilt in her voice ever-present, but something about it is nervous. 

 

“Don’t most people like, make out in Ferris wheels?” he jokes. Alex’s laugh is nervous and harsh. “Alex.” 

 

She looks from the sky to Jonas. “Yeah?” 

 

“I don’t want things to be awkward between us, okay? But I ━ I really like you, and…” Jonas trails off, scratching the back of his neck. God, he didn’t think he’d be able to do this. But he’s absolutely certain: even if their parents  _ had _ gotten married, even if they hadn’t met each other in the way they did ━ he would have fallen in love with Alex. He believes it with his whole heart. 

 

Alex is silent. She sits across from him, stock-still. 

 

“Say something,” Jonas whispers. 

 

“I ━ I don’t know what to say,” she confesses. 

 

Jonas feels his heart plummet. “I mean ━ that’s okay it’s not like ━ it’s not like I want to force you into anything, I just, I thought I should say it.” 

 

“I like you too,” Alex says, so quietly, face turned down ━ she seems so small in this moment, like she’s trying to curl into herself. Jonas almost doesn’t hear her. But he does ━ his face goes scarlet, and he leans forward to touch her hand. 

 

“Hey,” he says. “Are you… okay?” 

 

“Yeah,” Alex breathes. She looks back at him. “I just didn’t think ━ I didn’t think you’d like me, you know? I thought you were trying to be a friend, or trying to be like a… a brother or something, and I didn’t know how to react to my  _ own _ emotions.” 

 

“That’s okay,” Jonas murmurs. “Alex, that’s okay. God, you’re ━ you’re more than okay.” 

 

Alex laughs and shakes her head. “That’s cheesy.” 

 

“I know.” Jonas’s face gets even hotter as Alex entwines her fingers with his. “Hey, can I━?” 

 

“Yes,” Alex says immediately, leaning toward him. Jonas smiles, maybe wider than he’s smiled in a long time, and leans forward too. 

 

They are silhouetted by the sun. 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so in love


End file.
